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Tortellini with asparagus is an easy-to-make dish that’s especially good in spring when asparagus is in season. Its light sauce is made with an aromatic blend of onion and garlic sautéed in butter, white wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a splash of cream.
Table of Contents
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
Cheese tortellini is a versatile ingredient to keep on hand for a simple weeknight meal. It cooks quickly and you can use it in place of regular pasta in a pasta salad or dishes like pasta with sausage and spinach. If you’d like to try another easy vegetarian dinner like this one check out our cheese tortellini with zucchini, tomatoes, and fresh basil.
Key Ingredients
This is an overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. Please see the printable recipe card below for the complete listing, including quantities.
- ASPARAGUS: When shopping for fresh asparagus, look for smooth stalks with tightly closed buds. If you don’t plan to cook it the same day, trim about half an inch from the bottom of the spears and place them upright in a container with some water in the bottom. Cover with a plastic bag, and the asparagus should keep for up to three days (be sure to keep the water level up).
- TORTELLINI: Look in the refrigerated section of your supermarket for fresh cheese (or cheese and spinach) tortellini. We find the pasta to be more delicate than the dried variety, and the cheese has a better texture. Plus, it usually comes in a 9-ounce package which is just perfect for two servings.
How to Make Tortellini with Asparagus
This is an overview of how this recipe is prepared. Please see the printable recipe card below for detailed step-by-step instructions.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the tortellini, and preheat your oven to 425°F.
PREPARE AND ROAST THE ASPARAGUS: Trim the woody ends from your asparagus and peel the lower part of the stalks if needed. Cut them into a few pieces each and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the asparagus out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until tender.
MAKE THE SAUCE AND COOK THE TORTELLINI: Meanwhile, sauté chopped onion in a mix of butter and olive oil over medium heat until soft, then add garlic and cook until lightly golden. Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up any bits from the bottom, let it simmer for a minute or so, then remove from the heat while you cook the tortellini according to package directions.
FINISH THE DISH: Once the asparagus is done, stir it into the onion-garlic mixture along with lemon juice, zest, and a splash of cream. Add the tortellini, toss everything together, adjust the seasoning, then finish with chopped parsley and black pepper before serving.
Tips for Success
- FOR FLAVORFUL ASPARAGUS: Oven-roasting brings out the natural sweetness of asparagus and adds depth of flavor to this dish. If you don’t want to roast it, you can par-cook the asparagus in the microwave until crisp-tender (times will vary), then finish it in the pan when you sauté the garlic and onion.
- FOR PERFECTLY COOKED TORTELLINI: For best results when cooking tortellini (or any filled pasta), bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add the pasta a handful at a time, then immediately turn the heat down a notch or two to keep the tortellini from breaking apart. Also, if any of the tortellini are stuck together, let them come apart on their own as they cook.
- FOR BEST LEMON FLAVOR: When cooking with fresh citrus juice and zest of any type, add it to your other ingredients as close to serving time as possible. This will preserve its crisp acidity and fresh flavor.
Tortellini with Asparagus and Lemon
Ingredients
- 9 ounces cheese tortellini
- 3/4 lb asparagus
- Olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tablespoons cream or half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the tortellini. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line baking sheet with parchment.
- Trim the woody ends from the asparagus spears and peel away a bit of the outer skin toward the bottom to ensure tenderness and even cooking. Cut each spear into 3 or 4 pieces and toss with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Arrange the asparagus on the baking sheet in a single layer and roast until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. (The exact timing will depend on the thickness of the spears.)
- While the asparagus roasts, heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and continue cooking until the mixture is pale golden in color, about 1 minute longer.
- Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have accumulated on the bottom and cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
- Cook and drain the tortellini according to the package directions.
- Add the asparagus to the garlic-onion mixture and set it back over medium heat. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, cream, and parsley. Add the tortellini and toss to combine.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Excellent although be careful and add lemon before cream
I’ve been looking for easy vegetarian meals and this is perfect. Thanks.